Notes from Satomi's Plastering Workshop

Wren and I learned plaster 'recipes' and plastering techniques from Satomi today, in a private class that ran from 9.30am to 7pm with a break for lunch. Satomi is a lovely person, skilled plasterer, inquisitive observer of all things earth-building related, and a patient and hard-working teacher. We learned a lot and had a very pleasant time together.

I feel knackered; Wren is excited about taking things she's learned today and applying them to her work in Mali.

Here are the notes I took over the course of the day -- should any of you need some tips for your plastering projects ;)

GENERAL COMMENTS --

LIME
- lime plaster in bathroom in Japan, and lime wash in kitchens every year in UK -- lime has anti-bacterial quality. Is also caustic, so don't put your hands in it (use gloves and goggles). French sell hydrated lime, like putty - burns on contact.
- Use 'float' to spread lime plaster. Nice to have one straight edge and one rounded edge. Apply lime by scooping with trowel (flexible, if follow bumps of bale, or rigid trowel if want flatter look) off of hawk / hod (board with handle underneath). Want good base coat and second coat, timing very important.
- Scots use 'hurling' technique to throw lime slip onto walls and ceiling. Mexicans use special trowel with bent end, to slap lime on, then spread with float-like tool (heavier than UK float).

PLASTER
- grit size varies by thickness of plaster -- fine grain (eg ratio of 2:1) for thin, coarser for thicker wall...question of compressing correctly, otherwise cracks...test it and see shrinkage, then add more sand, or fiber, or water...nobody has the same clay...
- slip first (before base coat): dirt/soil from garden/earth (used as synonyms -- combo of clay and sand) sifted with 1/4 " + water...china or kalin clay is smooth and creamy, brown is chunkier
- add in straw and slap on

- Base coat of earth or lime plaster: use 1/2 inch sifter, and put 1/2 inch layer on wall...S uses clay and straw only, build it up quick (some ppl add sand); add design at this phase, coz if add later will break off
- second coat: 1 inch
- finish coat: fine mix using marble dust or fine silica (eg 90 -- higher number is finer)...if sift very fine, don't need to add pigment...
- sand: here, use 'washed plaster sand', is a clean sand...otherwise has clay and silt in it, so would have to adjust your ratios...Silica Sands are very clean (sold in pottery stores or swimming pool stores), good coz sharp edged and hence compress better
- pigment: mix sand and clay and add a bit of pigment (cheaper); contractors buy clay paint off the shelf and mix with water (but expensive)

THE MIXES WE WORKED WITH --

MIX 1: base coat
- ratio 1 clay : 3 sand -- for base plaster coat (just rough ratio)
- about 1/4 "
- first wet the wall (use detergent bottle if need to be careful indoors)
- scoop rectangle of mix on hawk, then take from back, and flip up (like flipping an omelet almost), and spread in wave motion on wall. Put hawk against wall to catch scraps. Spread across horizontal after, first with smaller then larger trowel, even float. Cover panel's worth of wall. press stick across in X shape to check if level.

MIX 2: plaster, works for exterior and interior both, about 1/4"
Recipe:
- 2 1/2 Kingston clay
- 1 1/4 sand
- 1 1/2 water
- 2 straw (1/2" sifted)...md by hammer mill, can buy good choppers now for USD 150

- always put water in first, put 1 for now (coz sand is wet...harder to add dry to wet than to add water later)
- (can mix dry goods in separate tub)
- add clay and let it soak up water thru capillary action (rather than actively mixing)...go have a cigarette...(See it turn a darker brown)
- put sand on top of that, let stand
- mix together -- is like chocolate cake mix
- add straw (the more straw, the less cracking...cracking comes from wet stuff drying, so if mix dry to start with, risk less cracking -- tho is harder to mix)
- ratio with too much sand looks nice at first coz is hard, but when starts to deteriorate is like little rocks have fallen out, and water gets in, doesn't weather well...straw/fiber is better, gets soft and melts together with clay...if leave it too long starts to ferment and smells bad but is good mix
- take flattish handful and smush against wall, spread it on with trowel or float, use barber u-shape motion to get snub corners, finesse corners with piece of plastic in smile-shape (from yogurt bucket, or cd even use saran wrap)

LUNCH

MIX 3 - lime clay for prep work for lime plaster
- lime plaster: ratio of 1 lime to 3 (clean) sand (washed sand, or silica)...think about how thick you're putting it on...fine mix for thin layer, coarser mix for thicker layer...have to polish it at the right time, all in the timing. Lime plaster likes to hang onto smthg really rough, so...
- lime clay: add 10% of lime plaster or to pH 12.4 (hydrated/slaked S lime, mix to consistency of sour cream, then add 2" water to top and let it age for 3 months, the longer the better...tho S has polished overnight slaked lime) lime to MIX 2 (add a bit of water too, so easier to spread)...lime makes clay mix really heavy and sticky
- once applied, scratch it -- then have mechanical as well as chemical attachment.
- for color: if mix with lime plaster, get pastels coz mixing with white; for strong colors, mix pigment with lime water and 'paint' it on wall before it dries, bonds to the plaster and have vivid color.
- to polish: base coat must be flat, lime plaster must be very smooth, timing right
- always keep white vinegar handy in case you get lime on you

MIX 4 - GLUE for natural clay paint ALIZ or ALIS (easy and fun)
- glue + clay + sand (or chalk powder, marble dust) + fiber (fine straw, hemp, paper, maybe) + mica (maybe)
- ratio 1 flour: 4 (5 or 6) water...make sure no dry flour lumps by passing thru sieve... then dilute it by 100% (ie add mix to another 4 HOT water)...mix to consistency of gravy...want it to cook slowly else bottom burns...keep stirring...
- then add sand, clay...and fiber...and mica...(to taste)
- dilute again by 100% -- 1 of glue to 1 of water
- pigments: iron oxide, goldenrod, or colors from pottery store...or earth or kalin sifted really fine (eg window screen doubled up twice....use glasses and face mask if finer than 40, known to cause cancer...)
- 4" wide brushes good,

- SIDEBAR: to sand-paint or sand-plaster on drywall: use 'sand paint' as primer - paint on coat of glue, then dilute 1C glue w 1C water and add to some sand (2-3C) till consistency of mushy sandpit and apply to board with trowel...let it dry completely...then next layer goes on very thin

- SIDEBAR on plastering around window. Plaster tends to shrink back, and you see gap tween wall and wood. Sol'n is to bevel future gap w 1:4 sand:clay mix over base coat (no more than 1 1/2" wide), taper down so thick edge is against wood and tapers to thin edge against wall.
- old Japanese method was to use fiber mesh (likw burlap), diminished shrinkage, would have thin base layer next to window -- the thinner, the less shrinkage
- for other joins tween diff materials: soak burlap in slip and leave to dry well

MIX 5 - lime plaster, ratio 1 lime:3 washed sand (watch your skin when scooping lime!)...if too dry, can add a little water from lime bucket
- want lime plaster to dry slowly...so UK good, coz damp...in SW, mist constantly while plastering...or add prickly pear coz adds sliminess (slows drying)
- S typically adds very fine fibers (cat tail, hemp fiber, cement fiber)...to hold plaster together, prevent cracking...
- now plaster the wall with it
- smooth over with stiff trowel (smoothness is just cream coming to surface, not compression), then use wooden float (looks like it roughs it up) and compress it, then go ober with flexible metal trowel to smooth it again.
- can use sponge to remove cream and reveal texture

BACK TO BASE COAT
- smooth with trowel
- fill holes with slip using 4" brush
- go over again with trowel
- go over with damp sponge -- takes dirt film off, shows pretty straw

SIDEBAR ON FLOORS
- ratio 1 clay to 4 sand (quite coarse)
- seal with linseed oil (heat in double boiler OUTSIDE coz of fumes)...S usually does 2 coats w 4" brush

ALIZ continued:
BASE COAT
- dilute (coz thickened) by ratio 1 glue: 1 water
- add 1 kalin (don't add pigment yet for base coat) and mix well
- add 2 filler...could be sand 40, for eg (use white sand if you want to add color later and don't want to worry about figuring out what end color will be)... Mica (could use different grades)... Straw...

NEXT LAYER (finer)
- dilute in ratio 1 glue: 1 water
- 1 kalin (or other pretty color clay)
- mix well
- 2 silica sand 60 (finer sand)

MIX 6 - another finishing PLASTER
- kalin + water + 2 kinds of sand

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Kingston 2

Awoke in our tent in the School of Art. (You'll have to see it to believe it -- photo coming). Jim -- our next door neighbor -- showed us around his greenhouse full of succulents, and the Black Range Museum, which he is newly the custodian of. And of course showed off his Rock Copies to us -- very life-like (if copies of rocks can be life-like).

Spent a lovely mid-day (10am-2pm) with Tom and Satomi, who are friends of Bill and Athena Steen's and excellent 'natural builders' in their own right. Tom does all manner of construction (from carpentary to electricity and plumbing), and Satomi is honing her skills as a plasterer, using local clays and fine Japanese tools.

Had lunch at the General Store just before it closed for the day at 3pm. On leaving we asked what in town was open for dinner. 'Nothing -- good thing you've had a good lunch!' came the reply.

Chilled back on Betty's porch in the shade, with Jim's permission. He invited us for dinner, having been gifted a pork and bean stew earlier in the day by a couple who'd locked their keys in the car; Jim is a locksmith by trade (well, one of his trades) and managed to get the car open.

Were joined by Barry, en route from Gainsville FL to Joshua Tree for a Banti Festival (Indian chanting), and later on by Roger, a local friend of Jims, and toasted marshmallows in Jim's terracotta wood-burning open-faced oven.

Dave swung by after dark walking his three dogs, to lock up the School of Art, but noticing our stuff still inside, said we were welcome to stay as long as we liked.

Kingston

Sunday, August 29

We rang the bell at Black Range Lodge, and Cathy Wanek answered and eventually appeared, but seemed nonplussed by our appearance on her doorstep.

Cathy runs Strawbale Central in Kingston, according to the Steens. The Steens had pointed us to their friends Tom and Satomi, who live next door, but as they weren't home we decided to look in on Cathy's operation, who, it turns out, is a networker extraordinaire in the green building world.

She'd moved to Kingston in 1984 and started with permaculture, planting some orchards. Then in 1992 she built her first straw bale building - and was hooked. She published several books and is very on top of who is doing what in both the US and Europe. Her background was as an Assistant Director making movies -- and the lodge was their studio at first. But their films didn't make it, and they turned the lodge into a B&B. She made films about the straw bale process (a 3-part video is for sale) and started giving courses, then publishing books.

She's divorced now, but her husband sounds like he was an Initiator -- starting projects he never got around to finishing. So she's finishing off projects now, and has started some of her own (like the wall to divert run-off from the kitchen). There was a fire a couple years ago which destroyed the workshops (hence the new building we were shown) -- which it sounds as though her husband's (and other's) carelessness had a role in. Not that she said so explicitly, just that she'd 'taken on direct oversight of more things personally' since the fire.

Dave Farrell, a local artist, was there when we arrived, dropping by for some straw bales for his project in T or C staring tomorrow, and to look in on Cathy's mother Betty. Betty lives in a straw bale house Cathy built, and Cathy suggested we join Dave and have a look at the house.

Betty was cooking up plum preserves and the place smelled heavenly. Bill, the carpenter who'd done all the kitchen cabinets, the wood ceilings, bookshelves etc happened to be passing through. We were shown around the spacious one-bedroom, admiring Bill's woodwork and Dave's painting on the wall. Dave took the dimensions of the wall he was being commissioned to paint / sculpt / decorate and made a sketch of the existing faux-bamboo (sculpted out of adobe) reliefs.

We took our leave from Betty and Dave took his leave from us, but not before offering us a roof over our heads for the night (that of his 'School of Art' in Hillsboro), as the monsoon clouds were gathering overhead.

We found Cathy behind the lodge with some visitors who soon departed, and she kindly -- and with surprising enthusiasm given her initial lukewarm reception -- showed us around the property.

The newest building -- though taken for a relic of Kingston's mining days by stray tourists driving past -- is the workshop, started in February and substantially complete but for the finishing of the floor and ceiling (and addition of furnishings and appliances). Behind is a water catchment tub salvaged from a malt plant, which will be hooked up to the gutter. The windows are positioned to catch cross currents and hence ventilate; the north facing windows don't open, for example, since they're not on the ventilation 'route'. You can see on the outside that the West face of the building is more weathered -- more straw is showing as the coating of plaster has washed off -- as West is where the winds (and rain) come from.

There's a cute wood shed next door, with embedded pottery and glass, as well as wood wedges -- the 'masterly' addition of Rob Ray?

Up the slope is an eco lodge, more fanciful, with sculpted walls. It also has a built-in solar oven. And there's an outdoor shower, hooked up to a water tank painted black and boxed in under glass so as to maximize heat retention.

Just below that is a sandbag cylindrical hut, which has been excavated to the frost line (18-28 inches below the surface) so as to maintain a maximum temperature of 65F, which will serve as a cool box for vegetables and fruit.

From there we entered the lodge building -- more specifically, the greenhouse addition Cathy had built onto it.

And lastly, we were shown the tavertine mosaic-ed shower under construction in the lodge.

After which we hung out in the lodge lobby and jotted down book titles and the names and phone numbers of people Cathy had mentioned over the course of her 'tour', and who she encouraged us to look up in Santa Fe and Taos (and Moab). She seemed to have thoroughly warmed to us, and even asked Wren if she had some photos of Malian mud architecture Cathy could use in her upcoming book.

All in all we spent about 3hrs visiting, and parted with 'namastes'.

It was raining as we left Cathy's so we took Dave up on his offer of Schoolhouse shelter. We drove up to the 0ld Pump House and met Barbara grading art papers and watching the Emmy's -- George Clooney was just getting the Bob Hope Award.

Dave showed us down to the Schoolhouse and rummaged around for a lamp before going next door to cactus-man Jim's in his trailer home for a light bulb.

We had a picnic dinner of fresh fresh tomatoes, and avocado, peanut butter and pistachios, to a soundtrack of cool jazz from Dave's studio stereo where I could only get the cassette (!) recorder to work. Then we pitched our tent inside the studio, having seen one roach and one spider (black widow?) and too many mosquitoes for comfort.

++++++

Sunny Flat campground. Stunning valley between red rocks, like further north. Plus river and woods. Camped on pedestal in spot #7. Some fruit and leftover burrito for breakfast. / Short hike up to Vista Point. Examined the leaves piled 'vertically' by the now dry river; mushrooms; termite patterned dead trunks; spider webs. Nice panoramic view over the valley at the top. / 80?N to Lordsburg. Straight straight road (you'd think the Romans had been here), plain with some brand of cacti on either side, mountains in the distance, fantastic billowy clouds in big big sky. Was fading after only 30 miles and handed over to Wren. Napped soundly. Awoke at Lordsburg (nothing doing) and in Deming we stopped for a Sonic Burger (a drive-in -- not thru -- burger chain I'd never seen before Arizona, with servers -- all girls -- on roller skates). Called Sumitomi? to communicate our arrival but got vmail.

North on 26 then 27 -- hills encroaching more closely on the road, adding dips and crests and curves to the drive (me driving, Wren napping now).

Arrived in Hillsboro about 2.45pm and enquired at the only cafe open about Cathy Waller's? strawbale place only to be pointed 9 miles further down the road to Kingston?.

Rang Tom & Satomi's bell and then went next door to Cathy's. (Continue above...)
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On the road again - New Mexico

Saturday, Aug 28
After having spent two lovely nights in the guest house at Canelo, it's back to camping tonight. We're bedding down in the Chiricahua National Park, in the land of the Apache general Geronimo; you'll find us if you take a left off 80 N at Rodeo and head towards Portal. Thankfully Athena pointed us here when we left Canelo at around 3.30pm and it was clear we weren't going to make it to Silver City tonight; the Rough Guide mentions the park but not the campgrounds. And thankfully it's stopped raining and we can see the stars. As well as silhouettes of crazy-looking rocks- - can't wait to see what this looks like in daylight.
The afternoon monsoon rain started shortly after we left Canelo, and what a torrential downpour it was! There must have been at least an inch of water on the road in the slight dips, and we'd get that kshshshsh sound of water against the bottom of the car, as when fording a river, and there'd be resistance against the steering wheel, as when skiing and going from the piste to deep snow.
Canelo - N on 83 - short cut on country road through Elgin - make a 120 turn over the bridge - E on 82- S on 90 to Sierra Vista, which is a military supply town. Athena modified the route she'd first given me when she remembered Wren wasn't a US citizen and we'd get turned around if we used the local road across the base.
On to Bisbee via 90, and a return to red rocks hedging in the road, after the open green plain ringed by blue mountains that is the landscape around Canelo.
Bisbee is an old (100 years or so) copper mining town. It's the first place to feel like a town since Flagstaff. Something about the 3-storey houses, the compactness of the streets tucking into the hillsides, people walking about, restaurants and bars bustling with customers. We strolled about the artists' quarter (houses decked out with murals and mannequins and peace signs, angry graffiti in empty lots condemning gentrification) and had a sit-down burrito at San Lorenzo's (?).
As we drove out of town we passed the open quarry, at least a mile of it, closed in 1975 but still producing several thousand tons (?) of copper every day/week/month (?) through leaching.
Continued along 90 to Douglas as the sun set behind us (another gorgeous tableau of pinks and purples and reds, streaks of color and puffy clouds edged in silver) and a lighting storm sent down jagged rays ahead of us and off to our right. Douglas is another border town, and has the wall with Mexico to show for it. We took a wrong turn and dead-ended into it. Word has it that the Mexican town of Agua Prieta on the other side is far more attractive.
Put Barbera Kingsolver's La Lacuna on the stereo and had a snooze while Wren drove.
++++++
The morning at Canelo: skyped and formulated a potential plan for end Sept on; chatted w W; coffee and toast and cherry-butter w Athena - asked about coming back at a later date and talked about things related; fed the chickens and picked tomatoes w Tom; showered; more chat w Athena & Wren (Santa Fe and the Anglo-Spanish-Indian contingents; belonging - independence; stages of child development; leaping and the net appearing at Canelo); took a walk in the hills w W...and finally tore ourselves away when their friend John arrived from Tucson.
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Canelo 2

Day trip south to the Mexican border at Nogales.

Across the mountains on a dirt road to Patagonia. Stopped at the Tree of Life (Dr Couisins & raw food cures for diabetes) where Wren had a green juice (and gagged). Stopped at Grounding Cafe in town, for a latte, and the rain started coming down, forming waterfalls off the roof.

Headed on to Nogales as it let up . There's a wall through town marking the border, and brightly colored houses on the Mexican hillside. (We'd seen a photo of Nogales at the craft fair in front of the De Young our Sunday in San Francisco, coincidentally). Walked up to the turnstile, but didn't have our passports with us so dared not cross. There's a militarized feel to the place. We took some photos if the signs at the crossing and were almost accosted by the customs police. Picked up calcium tablets from Dr Felix and beer from Food City, where the aisles are festooned with Mexican feast day paraphernalia.

Continued North to the dilapidated Franciscan Mission at Tumacocori, where the park services ranger kindly waited until we completed our after hours ramble around the grounds and through the museum.

A pit stop at Tubac; just as well it was mostly closed by that point, as it looked like a new-build adobe planned artist 'community' / tourist park.

Cut back east just south of Green Valley, on East Continental Rd, and wended (went?) our way through Morley (?) Canyon as the sun was setting the sky on fire behind us. The paved road gave out with the light, and we were left to imagine the redness of the rock and the deepness of the chasm to the right of the road.

That said, the last bit of 83 to Canelo has some of the most dangerous pot-holes.

Arrived 'home' at 8.30pm tired but relieved. Bill had baked bread and made a bruschetta topping with tomatoes from the garden. Thomas, the spiritual healer who came to Canelo in January and never left, joined us again tonight.

Athena has the funniest stories to tell about paving the road to hell with good intentions, mostly involving their work in Mexico.
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Canelo

Wonderful afternoon and evening with Athena and Bill Steen at their Canelo home in a remote corner of Arizona off HWY 83 south of Tucson-- so much to take in, from their straw-bale and cobb and clay building projects, to their fascination with border culture, and enthusiasm in helping us plan our onward journey.

Athena chatted with us over some home-made gazpacho and then gave us a tour of the premises. Upon intuiting our 'homeless' status, she welcomed us to spend the night...and Bill prepared a fantastic eggplant-pepper-tomato salsa to go with grilled meat in warmed tortillas.

This is the right time to be in this part of Arizona, the two months of the year when everything here is lushly verdant. Quite a contrast to the sweltering desert around Phoenix. Canelo is about 1000 feet higher than Tucson, and consistently 10F cooler.
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Phoenix - ASU Museum & Tucson - 47 Scott

Journal:

Finally left Phoenix today!

Morning dip in the pool, b'fast, packing, on the road by about 11am to ASU Art Museum. Circled the Downtown campus until realized it was in Tempe. Tempe has lovely tree-lined (shade!) main street. Spent about 1/2hr tracking down an espresso, in the heat (walking 10 blocks is not fun in 110F+). Three Races was closed, and after walking back to 6th St (from 10th) a restaurant tout (young girl) tipped us off to Cartel, a very cool (in all senses) coffee shop on Ash at University. Art Museum is skeletal Aztec temple out of concrete (more concrete...). Found one Georgia O'Keefe in the Americas collection -- enjoyed the rest of the collection, though didn't recognize many of the artists (aside from the Edward Hopper and Winslow Homer pieces). A Vietnamese artist had an engaging exhibit on centered 'round the Bicycle. And there was a gallery on modes of transportation (by foot, by car, by train, by plane, by horse) -- favorite piece there was a very evocative 'horse' lying down, made from scraps of wood and metal and an old tire. Then over to the Ceramics Research Center, with a small collection of pots and other pot-sized sculptures. Actually, theirs collection is the largest in the world , but only 20%  of it is on display. Certainly have works by the Ceramicist Greats, according to Wren, as daughter of a professional ceramicist. Lunch at Sacks around 3pm, then on to Tucson. Falling asleep at the wheel after 30miles, so switched. Checked in to the Econolodge of the I-10 at 6th St, took a nap, tried to hook up with Chris McCreedy but he was working tonight. Headed into 'downtown' Tucson and happened past 47 Scott which looked trendy in a pared-down modern kind of way, so parked and had dinner there. Comfort food prepared delicately, if that's not an oxymoron; fresh ingredients, subtle flavors, pairings with grilled veggies and salads. Quite a treat, and very reasonably priced too. Were thinking if this were in Flagstaff, every dish would have been $5-$10 more expensive.

Phoenix - Paulo Soleri's "Arcosanti"; Upcycle Living; Heard Museum

JourArcosanti: An Urban Laboratory

Yesterday we visited Cosanti, which today I learned means "Anti-Thing" (Cosa + Anti, in Italian, I suppose). And today we visited Arcosanti, which is Arcology (Architecture + Ecology, remember?) combined with the Anti-Thing. Are you starting to get a picture of how legendary architect Paulo Soleri's mind works? My understanding is that the "Thing" Soleri objects to is consumerism, urban sprawl, isolation of the individual, cars and commuting -- and other things about Phoenix that are quite objectively objectionable.

Gray = existing build; White = projected build

There's also a hint of the apocalyptic about his vision - a sense that America is at the forefront of modern urban development (ie that the rest of the West will follow in America's footsteps) and if 'we' continue on this trajectory, we'll run out of space... and will need to resort to colonizing deserts and other currently un- (or marginally) habitable places, so we'd best start preparing now. Soleri's solution seems to be to get people to live and work in one place, together -- using space and resources (and time, for that matter) more efficiently and in closer harmony with the environment.

Outdoor Assembly Area

Stage with 'cooling' moat and amphitheatre seating

Joseph, a Columbia grad student in Sociology or Urban Planning gave us a guided tour of the premises: a cube-framed 3-storey building housing the visitor center, bakery and cafeteria; two concrete 'apses' -- bandshell-like structures -- shading the bronze foundry and clay kilns; double-arches shading a large meeting area; a couple single family homes and some dormitory spaces; the 'Sky Suite' for visitors wanting to pay $100 for the night; the swimming pool; the amphitheatre -- proudly pointing out the fig and olive and pistachio trees, grape arbor and bed of mint ("fruits and nuts and herbs, there for the picking") along the way.

Joseph, I dare say, had drunk (or was drinking) the koolaid. He's writing about how architecture impacts social relations, and talked to us about the communal dining area and shared swimming pool as though these were revolutionary concepts. Perhaps in Phoenix they are. Then there's the notion of producing food for the community on a giant slope covered in glass in front of the buildings (hmm, might work if you like your greens burnt to a crisp by the Arizona sun), and using the heat from the bronze forge to warm the buildings on winter nights (no plans yet though for how to cool the buildings in the

Single Family Home

summer). Leave stand that they is no plan for dealing with 'gray' and 'black' water sustainably -- there is a pond on the property that can cope with the 'sewage' generated by the 100 or so people living on the premises, but for anything about that number (and Arcosanti broadcasts its intention to grow to a 5,000-strong community), the municipality requires Arcosanti to meet mandated hygiene standards.

For all the talk of 'ecology' there seems to be little effort to incorporate readily available 2010 technologies -- eg composting toilets (or even the kind that give you the option to flush with only half the water), or solar energy on a large scale.

Arcosanti is a marvel in that it's been built out of concrete -- by hand. And in that a utopia conceived in the 1970s and lacking any update for the 21st century continues to attract bright young minds to contribute their manual labor to its upkeep. Apparently, while Arcology was 'hot' in the '70s (Soleri got coverage in Newsweek and an Architecture Award), it went through a slump in the '80s and '90s, and it's only recently that interest (and a volunteer work force) has been resurgent.

Here's a link to a good article about Arcosanti from the 2007 Travel Section of the New York Times, if you'd like to read more: http://travel.nytimes.com/2007/09/16/travel/16next.html?pagewanted=2

Jason Anderson, co-founder of Upcycle Living

When asked what he thought about Arcosanti, Jason Anderson said, "Well, I'm 30... I can't relate to that era... I'd like to just go off and think about things... but there's so much to be doing right here and now in society, real-time, I can't afford that luxury..."

Jason is an architect-contractor and co-founder of Upcycle Living (http://www.upcycleliving.com/) which recycles shipping containers into homes outfitted with the latest in green appliances, locally sourced materials, and solar power.

He's selling them to low-income families -- largely Native American -- but has also found a market with mining companies which need medium-term temporary accommodation for workers, and in disaster zones (eg earthquake-stricken Haiti) where structurally-sound solutions capable of functioning off-grid are at a premium.

Water Jug, Heard Museum

The Heard Museum in downtown Phoenix has a phenomenal collection of artifacts, historical and contemporary, covering all the native Arizona peoples: Navajo, Hopi, Zuni, Apache, Havasupai, Hualapai, Yavupai -- to name but a handful.

Katsina Dolls, Heard Museum

Katsina dolls -- titihu in Hopi -- are gifts from the Katsinam to Hopi girls, and have been called 'visible prayers' and 'books in wood'.

Rain Clouds Over Phoenix

Journal:

Resolved to get an 'early' start today, what with all we wanted to do before leaving Phoenix. Alarm went off at 7.45am. Took a dip in the pool (what a great way to start the day!) before our Super 8 'continental breakfast' of bagel + yoghurt + tea/coffee + oatmeal. Drove north to Arcosanti on I-17, with the tire pressure warning light showing the last part of the way. Arrived just in time to join the 11am tour -- there were just the two of us and another young male tourist who didn't say a word. Had cafeteria lunch at Arcosanti (quinoa with chicken, enchilada casserole, scaloped potatoes and cod; all homecooked) and then wateched the 13min film on the origins of Arcosanti (nodded off, my defense mechanism against ideological ranting). Rain clouds gathering as we left Arcosanti about 2.30pm. Visited the Heard Museum back in downtown Phoenix from 3-5pm. Then met with Jason Anderson at the Upcycle Living show-home on Roosevelt from 5.30-6.30pm or so. Picnic dinner back at the motel of olive bread and salami and avocado. Evening of researching and writing.

Phoenix/Scottsdale - Paolo Soleri's "Cosanti"

Cozy, Cosanti is not. It is the fruit of an architect's labours, playing with concrete. Particularly sturdy, it is not either -- as various metal re-inforcing beams attested to. Cool, it is not -- as a 'lean machine' it has no air-conditioning, natural or other. What does it have to recommend it? Wind chimes, plenty of wind chimes. For sale. Starting at $29 for one the size of a baby's fist, and rising into the thousands for wind chime mobiles like the one pictured. Manufactured by hand from bronze (or clay) by underpaid foundry workers toiling in the 110F heat (no, that's not the furnace; that's the ambient temperature).

The site has a Star Wars feel to it -- which might be unsurprising, as both Cosanti and the film are essentially products of the 1970's, utopias (of sorts) set in desert wastelands. Soleri's concrete half-domes ('apses' in Soleri speak) reminded me of the desert dwarves' cave dwellings; the metal casts framing the wind chimes are skeletal like giant robot remains.

Paulo Soleri is now 91, and doesn't do much work on-site anymore, though he does still sketch -- female nudes between the ages of 21 and 41. Fliers in the gift-shop were asking for models.

Born in Italy in 1919, Paolo studied under Frank Lloyd Wright (possibly doing a stint at neighboring Taliesen West ) and then set up his own Foundation in 1965 or so. He came up with Arcology (= Architecture + Ecology) as a response to the urban sprawl that is Phoenix, and tomorrow we will visit Arcosanti, his more extensive 'living experiment' in urban utopia. Pretty much anything would be an improvement on the sprawl that has taken over the Valley floor since the advent of air conditioning in the 1950s made contemplating life in the baking heat of a Southern Arizona summer anything other than pure folly. Before that, the Valley of the Sun (Phoenix-Scottsdale-Tempe-
Mesa) had a population of about a hundred thousand; now it's the fifth largest city in the US .


Journal:
Till noon, did admin consolidating contacts and emailing to set up appointments. Lunch (dodgy re-heated moussaka) at the Arizona Center ('the only significant downtown mall') on Van Buren between 3rd & 5th Streets. Visited Cosanti from 2.30-4pm or so. Too late for Heard Museum (again). Grocery shopping at Trader Joe's, then Wren did another stint on the computer at a Scottsdale Starbucks (in the hopes Lori would respond before we left the area) and I picked up some crockery & silverware at the mega Goodwill on Thunderbird x 40th St. Home 7pm, microwaved tortellini for dinner. More 'homework'. And a dip in the pool - refreshing!

Phoenix - SMoCA

"Now you're a SMoCA," said Wren (in her English accent) as I stuck the small round museum sticker to my tank-top. "By no means!" said I. "I gave up long ago."

The Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art is a gem of a modern museum in Scottsdale's 'old town' (I'm resisting adding 'e's to that: there's nothing old nor town-like about the area -- in Massachusetts at least there's a semblance of the 'town' part of the Ye Olde Towne equation). The building housing the small collection is  silver-sleek, opposite the adobe-nouveau performing arts center, sun-drenched.

One of the blurbs inside recounts how an economically poor Native American neighborhood was essentially razed to make place for the new arts complex -- but now that it's in existence, it seems to be doing its best to raise consciousness of local issues and disadvantaged communities, providing artistic commentary on such things as: water and irrigation issues in Arizona; the legacy of nuclear testing; border patrols and immigration; degeneration of Juarez into anarchic criminality; romanticized portrayals of Native Americans and Cowboys. The exhibits in the five galleries change completely every few months, so we may have struck a particularly rich vein of Arizona-related hot topics -- but we were assured by the charming art grad student at the front desk that there was an ongoing environmental focus.

Sadly, the exhibit that had caught my eye on the website, "Architecture + Art: 90 Days Over 100F", which involves the Arizona sun melting some significant mass of ice over the course of the four months the exhibit is on (ok, so it's not one lump of ice; it gets replenished) was un-affecting. The architects (I was told) had gone for an 'ice-cave' effect, with water dripping down the inside walls and collecting in a pool. The ice cave was more like a graceful tunnel befitting a temple entrance; the lighting was such that the occasional and slight trickles of water were discernable only if one set one's head at an awkward angle against the light; and the pool (more like rainwater collected in a gutter) could similarly only be seen from one angle. The outside of the cave-tunnel was of elegantly carved wood -- really the most appealing thing about the installation.

Through an outdoor patio criss-crossed with shadows is another of James Turrell's Sky Spaces, Knight Rise: this one is oval where San Francisco's is circular; the wall has a tier to it which 'breaks' the circle of light cast on the wall; and it lacks a center circle on the ground impelling visitors to stand in the middle of the space.













Journal:
Spent the night at Debbie & Derrick's in the Kid's Casita coz the rain was still coming down hard at midnight. Wren was awakened at 7am by Lilith calling to find out where in the workshop was the sculpture Wren is submitting to a London show. Breakfast of fruit salad and pound cake with Barbara in the kitchen, as Brandon and Alethea tested grandma's patience by playing with the volume on the karaoke machine. Lauren still sound asleep on the mega-couch, Debbie & Derrick having a lie-in. Wren & I got organized for the day - identifying 3 museums we wanted to visit and getting directions - and left around noon. First stop was Mesa Arts Center (in Mesa, another sub-division in the Phoenix conurbation), but it turned out this was closed for renovations until September. Got a hard-shell chicken taco at a local taco stand to fortify ourselves. Second stop was the SMoCA (described above) in Scottsdale. Third stop was going to be the Heard Museum in Downtown Phoenix, but it was too late in the afternoon to make a visit worthwhile; we'll save it for Tuesday, along with the ASU Museum and Ceramics Research Center. Stopped in at Zoe's Kitchen for a salad, and picked up the latest Rough Guide to the Southwest at the Borders in the Biltmore Mall on Camelback at 24th.

Mesa Art Center

Mesa Art Center

Phoenix - Taliesen West & Auguste Pool Party

Having too much fun singing karaoke to blog tonight...
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Phoenix - Imogen Departs & Third Friday

Wren: "I do believe not a day has gone past where we haven't made some wonderful connection."

We checked out Third Friday this evening, the somewhat edgier 'open galleries' alternative to First Friday's Art Walk -- thanks to a tip from Byron's friend Chris Danowski. We cruised down Roosevelt, East of Central, and pulled up at the Modified Arts Gallery, where people were milling about outside. "Converging Trajectories: Crossing Borders, Building Bridges", curated by Ted Decker, was showing inside. A gaggle of beaded chickens, hanging painted pillows, a video of a man masturbating to the (real-time) audience viewing the video (are we art-goers the real wankers?), a photo of crumbling Grecian ruins but out of sand. I was drawn from one piece to the next; curious, delighted.

Handed a pamphlet on the exhibit by Sam Chung, I struck up a conversation and it emerged he'd made the two beautiful Korean-inspired porcelain vases by the window. He pointed out the curator -- that gentleman over there with the white hair in the blue shirt. Ted was the long-time curator at the Arizona State University Museum, and three years ago resigned to branch out on his own. He's been back and forth to Brazil over the course of the past 7 years, and 3 years ago dedicated himself to putting together this show of local artists whose work he admires.

Justin Germain is a recent (?) MFA Art History grad who Ted is encouraging to pursue his dream of turning Phoenix into a center for Green / Sustainable/ Creative Interventionist Art. Justin is organizing his first show in February 2011, and it looks like there may be a match with Wren's work.

Wiping the sweat from our brows (the gallery had a few fans going, but Phoenix continues to bake even after dark), we migrated to the gallery next door which everyone kept telling us did have functioning A/C: the Eye Lounge. One artist's exploration of 'being out in the wilderness' (in a Biblical sense), through stereotypical Southwestern desert tropes (cacti, kokopelli, etc) and a puppet show; a painter's series of miniature wood-block portraits of her artist friends; and a darkened room-full of 6"x6" photographic prints on vellum illuminated from behind by candles, very romantic. We enjoyed a cold beer while watching a hand-puppet snake tempt Jesus with waffles and bagels, perused the arty store at the back (which is the front, during the day), but didn't stay too long.

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Imogen left today. Her last wish was to set foot in a WalMart, so we made a pilgrimage en route to the airport. "George" is an Asda brand Brits enjoy, but Americans get that and many more. It wasn't even an especially large WalMart, but it did the trick. Disappointingly, the datebook Imogen wanted to buy as a souvenir (each country's datebooks have their own peculiarities) was on recall (a datebook on recall??), the cashier informed us, and would not be processed by the register.

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Journal: W&I up earlier than me, but had an extended breakfast together. All much better rested and  in much better spirits. Final packing by Imogen, then excursion to the WalMart (& T-Mobile & Starbucks) by Exit 2 off of 51N. Got to the airport 2 hrs early for Imi's Southwest flight to LA, and browsed the airport shops. Flight delayed till 2.35pm. It's a long flight (Phoenix - LA - Toronto - London) for a 16 year old to be taking on her own. / Wren and I spent the afternoon on  downloading photos and admin -- tallying receipts for gas and car rental and accommodation and food, and comparing our expenses to the budget. Seems we're within bounds, which came as a huge relief. / Then Third Friday, from 7-10pm. Finally, some late night computering. / I am in much better spirits tonight.

Sedona

Eco Art/Architecture: non-flush, composting toilets in Red Rock Country

Highlights of the day:
1. Red Planet Diner
2. Cathedral Rock (& park)
- and the stunning red rock formations of Sedona, more generally
3. Holy Cross Cathedral
- modern A-frame glass-fronted church perched atop two massive boulders
4. Dinner with the Auguste clan (in Phoenix)

Journal:
Wren had a sleepless night and was driven out of the tent by the heat of the 7am sun. Turned out we'd found one of the only patches of prickly-pear-fee ground around. Drove direction Sedona for breakfast and happened upon the Red Planet Diner -- with decor be-fitting Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Stopped by Visitor's Center and the bejeweled volunteer there suggested three scenic (and flat-ish) trails to us, near three different vortices (she noted the heart vortex was situated not far from her house, in a residential neighborhood and hence not much frequented by tourists). Drove up Bodega <check> pass road, looked in on the Enchanted Resort, then back-tracked to Fay Canyon. W&I were going to picnic but we all three ended up napping edgily in the heat, bombarded by insects. Decided to leave for Phoenix; took in the view from Airport Mesa and the Holy Cross Cathedral on the way out of town. Left about 4pm for the 100-odd mile trip to Phoenix. Sedonas red rock 'mountains' gave way to flattish desert plains rimmed by low (coz distant) blue (coz distant) mountains...then to mesas and volcanic-like cone-shaped hills closer to Phoenix. And the classic (S---) cactus made its first appearance (the cacti from Lucky Luc, you know). Arrived at the Downtown Super 8 (Van Buren x 11th Str) about 6.30pm. W decided she was too exhausted to go out again, and Imi decided to stay in with her, so went on my own to the Auguste extended family dinner at an Italian in Scottsdale. Anita (mom) & Sophie (sis) welcomed me; was intro'd to the hubby's and kids around the table; Ronald & Joseph & Maurice/Morris -- the 3 brothers; sat next to Chris, B's highschool friend; and Byron arrived after picking up Juliette and Nelson from the airport. They're off to the Grand Canyon tomorrow. 'Home' about 11pm after following Chris most of the way on his motorbike, W&I just turning off the lights. They'd ordered in Domino's and watched T----- epsiodes.
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Flagstaff - Museum of N Arizona

Eco Art: umm...still all eager anticipation on that front...

Highlights of the Day:
1. Coffee with Lori Goldberg
- Someone Wren met in NYC on her trip there a few weeks ago to meet up with Salif Keita; turned out she spends her summers in Flagstaff. Is building an orphanage in Haiti (husband is a stockbroker with Merrill Lynch). Turns out she knows some young guys building homes out of containers, who we might be able to meet up with in Phoenix or Tucson.

2. Flagstaff Photographers Gallery & Raechel Running & James F.
- Raechel is the photographer who's show is opening at FPG tonight. She's interested in the 'one-ness' of indigenous cultures stretching from the Colorado Plateau across the border into Mexico. She suggested a number of places for us to visit further south (inc across the border) -- and she'll be there herself in Sept, so our paths may cross again
- James F. Is the young gallery co(?)-founder, who just held an exhibit on (and gave a workshop on) wheat-pasting. We'd seen examples of wheat-pasted B&W street art on S. Beaver Str on our previous wanderings -- and apparently there's a Navajo (?) Artist who has various indigenous sites (on reservation land?) covered in it.

3. Museum of Northern Arizona
- Fabulous little museum with a fantastic collection of Hopi-Navajo-Zuni pottery, rugs, basket weaving, dolls, jewelry -- and great exhibits on the history and anthropology of indigenous peoples. Plus a highly instructive exhibit on the geology of the Colorado Plateau, complete with timeline and dinosaur skeletons. The bookstore and gift shop were fab too.

4. Drive to (and through) Sedona along Hwy 189
- Like driving through the Grand Canyon (or at least: the last mile of our hike, ie the bit closest to the rim). Spectacular cliffs and red rock and verging-on-Monument-Valley-like formations. Love the signs that read 'Watch Out For Rocks'. Someone had inserted a sticker reading 'Big Red' [rocks]on one of them. We'll visit Sedona 'properly' tomorrow

Journal:
Short night (1am-6am). Emailed from BB in bed. Feeling down. Manchester girls in my dorm room left early for the Grand Canyon. Talked with V. Hostel breakfast 9.45am. Showered, packed, checked out for 11am. Headed over to Macy's with Imogen to join Wren & Lori. 12.30 took a walk around Flagstaff (finally). Stopped in at Bureau of Environment (picked up some info on green building). Had lunch at DB's (organic burger joint in odd cylindrical building with fairytale mural) on the main square. Happened to stop in at Photography Gallery as we were heading back to the hostel - and had nice contact with Jason and Rachael. Stopped in at dingy gallery I'd located on previous wander and bought Hopi ring. 3pm-5pm Museum of N AZ, just north of the center. 18 miles to Sedona, first woods then descending hairpin bends overlooking dramatic rock landscapes. Sedona itself (at least the bit along 189) = upscale mall-ville, v touristy. Didn't inspire us to stop, and we continued to Cottonwood, another 12miles or so south. Debate about dinner & accommodation resulted in Greek salads at the Verde Lea deli and 'back-country' camping off 189.
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Flagstaff - Sunset Crater

Basically a recovery day. Wren and I got massages at Mountain Waves; ended up taking most of the afternoon. Another monsoon downpour. Flooded at least one street in Flagstaff (broken main? creek overflowing?). Lunched on salads about 4pm back at Macy's European Cafe on S. Beaver.

Visited Sunset Crater (5-8pm), a volcano 1000 years young. Youngest one in the USA, anyway. The terrain around the hill is black and choppy, as though giants had ploughed fields of peat. Except the 'peat' is volcanic rock, in blacks and browns, interspersed with volanic gravel. Blacks and reds and greens.

There's a paved 1/4mile circuit with info boards, then a mile circuit through the lava field. Subtle smell - smoky-sweet tar mixed with pine? Photos of rocks and red puddles. Wren communing with the Evening Primrose, opening its petals as dusk fell.

And we were treated to a firey sunset, molten orange

Stopped by the Safeway on the way back to the hostel; cooked up a ravioli dinner 'back home'; laundry night; blogging...

Grand Canyon - Bright Angel Trail back up

Monday August 16th

4.30am wake up call,5am pancake breakfast. Wren moving slowly and creakily due to painful hips-thighs-knees. Asked if there was a spare mule (for a ride up to the rim) or a spare bed that night (to give her a day to recover) -- negative on both counts.

Took us 12hrs in all to get back to the South Rim, creeping along with many a pause along the way. Don't know what was worse for Wren - pain in the joints, or the heat. At Indian Garden, 6.6 miles up the canyon (and still another 4.7 miles from the Rim), it was 80F in the shade, 120F in the sun.

August is monsoon season in the Grand Canyon, did you know? It's something I learned from Ranger Emily. And experienced first-hand around 1pm. Torrential downpour. Thankfully we were already sheltering (from the sun) at the rest station above Indian Garden. Drops like bullets. Temperature must have dropped 40 degrees and it felt downright chilly. Steps built into the pathway transformed into puddles, if not lakes. Miniature waterfalls of red mud water sprang to life at cliff edges.

Flagging spirits restored, we set off again around 1.30pm and got to the top by 5pm, cloud cover still in place. Rejoiced as we made it to the top, the encouragement of colleagues of 'Dorothe' ringing in our ears (about 700 members of a French advertising company were on a US roadtripn together -- and we must have crossed at least 500 of them on the trail).

Brief visit to the Kolb brother's photography studio (now a gift shop and gallery),then blue shuttle bus back to the parking lot and our car; got sworn in as Junior Rangers (and got the treasured badge) at the Visitor Center by Ranger Schenk; and raced over to the Yavasupai canteen for a large helping of spag bol.

Drove the 75miles back to Flagstaff in the dark (amazing sunset off to the West); overnight again at the Grand Canyon Hostel, arriving about 9.30pm.

Grand Canyon - South Kaibab Trail to Phantom Ranch

Sunday August 15th

4am alarm, 5am green shuttle bus to the South Kaibab trail head at the Eastern end of the South Rim, and walking by 5.30am.

South Kaibab is the steeper and shorter of the two trails to Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. Turns out it was too steep for Wren's knees & hips, and she was in significant pain before we were half way down. Awesome(majestic - superlative - chunky - wizard - stunning) views all the way, nonetheless.

Reached Phantom Ranch around 11am, got ice for Wren's knees, and we all took a nap.

4pm 'Grand Canyon Jeopardy' with Ranger Emily -- informing us of the geology - history - animals - plants in the canyon, 5pm dinner (steak or vegetarian chile), 7.30pm talk about the Kolb Brothers (adventurers and photographers) by Emily, followed by scorpion spotting (they shine flourescent green under black light, did you know?)

Flagstaff - chill day

Saturday, August 14th

Chilled out day mainly characterized by not driving.

Woke up not feeling well (menstrual cramps, trembling).

Hostel had breakfast on offer, and we made it downstairs before the 10am clean-up deadline. Met Chekes, a petite Brazilian on her way to Sedona to check out yoga teaching opportunities there, having just spent a year in Spain. She's been a nomad for 8 years now, ever since finding her yoga teaching calling in the steppes of Central Asia.

Packed up and made it out by 11qam, just. Chatted in the lobby for another 1/2hr (Wren with Tyson, me with Chekes), before heading out to explore Flagstaff.

Wandered down W. Phoenix, photographed the old motel sign, dropped in at Red Thread, then photographed the corrugated iron studio (it was closed, as was the gassblowing studio across the street), dropped in at Revolution Bikes and were directed to the wheat-glue photographer (who pastes his B&Ws up on walls around town).

Thirsty by now, we stopped at Macy's, the European bakery cafe.

Restored, we called at the tourist info center adjacent to the train station and picked up a map of galleries, and made it to the closest one before W&I headed back to the hostel to book Imi's flight and do some laundry.

I had a nice convo with Paul and looked in on some galleries, then returned to the hostel.

Time by now (3.30pm ish) to get going to the Grand Canyon

Drove up 180(?) past the Univ of N Az and Wren's arm was hurting so we switched.

Very green, very wooded plateau; goes on and on. Condodino Forest, Kaibab Forest (more like bushes). Then an IMAX and motels and McDonalds shortly before the gate to the park. Entrance was free, lucky us.

Followed signs to the Visitors Center an entered a cavernous hall with maps and models of the Grand Canyon. Enquired about parking aty ttrail head, and were told the water pump was broken at Phantom Ranch so we should get a water filtration unit.

Off to the General Store at Market Plaza. (We've still not seen the Canyon). A filtration unit costs 99.99. We settle on some iodine drops, and pick up some bread cheese salami chocolate for the hike down.

Then race West to catch the sun setting on the Grand Canyon. Park the car and head up the rim trail, as the rocky chasm glows red. Make it up to the second bus stop, then catch the red line bus back. Imogen remarks I use 'one' a lot, as in: 'One could hike down the canyon'

Drive to Mather Campground, find Aspen 20, and pitch our tent. Then back to the Market Plaza for some dinner at the Canyon Cafe. I eat half a cantelope.

Then sorting and repacking our stuff for the hike, under a streetlamp in the parking lot. 'This is getting quite exciting' quoth Imogen.

10.30pm we're done and return to our tent, brush our teeth, and conduct a 5min search for the car keys (for the nth time, this is getting to be a routine) before we crash.

Route 66 and London Bridge

The folly of wealth. The story goes a successful American business man heard London Bridge was for sale and snapped it up, thinking it was the picturesque Tower Bridge, and had it dismantled and transported stone for stone, to Lake Havasu in Arizona.

I was expecting a true folly -- the bridge re-built in the middle of the lake, going from nowhere to nowhere; or the same but on dry land. But in fact the bridge is being used as a bridge, and is a nice bridge at that. The 'English Village' tourist attraction at one end, however, is quite missable. That said, apparently London Bridge ranks as the second highest grossing toutist attraction in Arizona after the Grand Canyon...so the foolhardy businessman didn't get it all wrong now, did he?

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Ludlow consists in a gas station, a diner, and a motel. That's it. We made good use of all three.

Got back on the I-40 about 11.30am and drove on through to Needles (where Snoopy's brother is from), then took the detour South to Lake Havasu and London Bridge. Desert heat, 97F in the shade.

Drove the 88 miles along the Old Route 66, from Kingman to Seligman. None too spectacular: one or two tiny hamlets, tough green scrub and a desert air. Seligman is a veritable Route 66 kitsch heaven -- facades, in-store content, all branded branded branded. (See photo)

Got into Flagstaff after our approx 350 mile drive at about 6.30pm. Booked into the international hostel (got a room with 4 bunk spots to ourselves), and had dinner at the Mountain Oasis.

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I'm writing last thing at night before going to sleep, on my blackberry (as I can be fairly sure of a mobile connection, whereas wifi access/coverage has been sparse and/or weak). I'm planning to return to flesh out posts and add photos once we stay in one place for more than a night.

Thanks for taking the time to visit in the meantime :)





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Mono Lake (and Petroglyphs)

Mono Lake, just East of Yosemite, presents an inspiring example of community-based ecological rescue in the nick of time.

Plus it sports bizarre (and bizarrely named) 'tufa towers' along its Southern shore (see photo). These formed over thousands of years around underwater springs, where the encounter of sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) with sodium nitrate (salt) formed limestone (I'll have to double check the chemistry...).

The ecological destruction of Mono Lake began when Los Angeles decided to source water from the area in the 1940s, piping water from the lake's tributaries via an aqueduct over 350+ miles to LA. By the 1970s the level of the lake had dropped by 20+ feet<check> with a related increase in salinity and alkalinity, and the lake's ecosystem of brine shrimp, flies and birds was in peril. The lake is the main breeding ground of the California Gull, as well as the only stop over on some other birds' 5000+ mile migrations. Not only were changes to the lake's mineral concentrations threatening the shrimp (food source for the birds) but the drop in water level meant what were once island breeding grounds for the gulls were fast becoming peninsulas, accessible to coyotes and other predators.

Thankfully David G and a band of concerned citizens noticed what was happening, and with some pro bono legal help, managed to barter an agreement whereby LA would draw less water from the area, and agreed to restoring the water-level of the lake to 1960s levels by 2012 <check stats>.

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The Save Mono Lake Committee <check name> has done a great job -- achieving what it has, practically and politically, and continuing to keep the public informed. There's an info center in the town of Lee Vining, and a dedicated park center overlooking the lake, as well as an informatively sign-posted trail through the tufa towers on the lake's south shore.

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Camped off of 120E (the road into Yosemite) at a small site with toilets but no running water (aside from the river). Went to bed under the thickest blanket of stars; awoke to the greenest of fir/pine trees. Took a 1/2hr walk along the wooded river and back through the scrub-land. So lovely to be oudoors; such clean clear morning light. Breakfast of fruit (down to our last mango now) and did some yoga stretches. Shame about the RVs and their generators.

Got a tea fix at the organic cafe in Lee Vining and perused their Andy Goldsworthy coffee table book. Ah, so that's the kind of stuff he does: leaves and stones and ice; color and contrast and translucence; improbable and delicate balance; perishable, fleeting, impermanent. Love it.

Browsed the bookstore & info center; then (noon) drove down to the parks center and caught their movie on Mono Lake; and finally (1pm) visited the lakeshore and meandered through the forest of tufa towers.

Hit the road about 2.30pm and decided to make what turned out to be a 44mile detour at Bishop (where we stopped for sandwiches from the Bakkery about 4pm) to view the local petroglyphs at three different sites along a gravel road that runs parallel to Hwy 6. Mostly pacman-esque scratchings (circles with crosses, globular shapes), but the last site did have some stick figures. Beautiful 'painted' mountain range off to the East (grays and pinks and blues and golds, as though they'd been powdered with pastel dust).

Filled up on gas at 6.30pm and W put the foot to the pedal down Hwy 395. We switched in Johannesberg (there's a Randstad nearby...) and around 9.30pm I blew through Barstow where we'd planned to stay the night, and we've ended up in Ludlow, domain of long-haul truckers and midnight migrants like (or not so like) ourselves.
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Lake Tahoe

Place holder while I have a signal

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Solar Living Center

SLC strikes me as having gotten stuck in a 'proof of concept' stage. It wants to show the world (well, its visitors) that we all CAN live sustainably -- and here's how: with solar energy and cobb buildings and permaculture. But with limited examples of each (barring an impressive array of solar panels), and sparse signage with some stats on sustainable energy in California -- it doesn't feel very 'convincing'... It's as though it is preaching to the choir, and it's the believers who will take the trouble to make a pilgrimage to the site... Rather than its being a shining beacon luring in the Ignorant or the Doubting Thomases with its delights, and sending them home with a fire in their belly to install a solar shower or run their cars on bio-diesel.

The SLC has beautiful grounds and magical buildings and artwork and landscaping to discover...but it's as though the architects imagined part of the charm was to have visitors 'stumble' upon things. The signage at the road-side announcing the SLC's presence, for example, would do a down-market garden center proud, and once you've proceeded down the driveway and past the 'Welcome Station' (please pay $2), you are in the embrace of a large dusty parking lot. So... Where is this Solar Oasis I imagined?

The 'heart' of the center has its back to where visitors arrive, the 'Tree-thru-Cars' (vs Drive-thru-Trees, get it?) sculptures are in a glade down an overgrown pathway, and even the lovely ponds feel like they're 'round the back, edged by the dusty driveway .

Everyone we met -- especially the two site interns, a couple of volunteers, and the care-taker couple -- were very welcoming and happy to have us poke around and answered questions freely as to cobb recipes and solar oven cooking times etc etc. However, it seems like the center was short-staffed...and rather short of visitors as well...a bit more of a ghost-town than a serene sanctuary. Admittedly, it was a Monday, and I imagine weekends would be a lot busier.

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Wren & I had a fresh fruit salad breakfast and then nosed around the Pacha Mama cobb building the interns had plans to finish plastering and flooring. Wren commented it's like working on a clay pot, where it's an artistic as much as a structural endeavor. The caretakers, meanwhile, were busy working on the roofing of their (very) compact (but very cute) pseudo-mobile-home.

Then we (all three, W&I&me) walked into Hopland with Andy (one of the volunteers), along the abandoned railroad tracks to get some coffee and some tacos from one of the two rival taco trucks (owners are from different parts of Mexico).

Back at the ranch, we took the self-guided tour, and discovered all sorts of lovely nooks and crannies.

16.30 dept, E to Clear Lake, cont E to Hwy 5, S to Sacramento, E on I-80. And here we are in Auburn at a Super 8.
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Rebar Interview

Filmed Wren in conversation with Matt Passmore, one of three Principals at Rebar (along with John Bela and Blaine), at Rebar's office at 3330 20th Street in San Francisco.

Covered Rebar's latest project: Street Life (under construction in the workshop below Rebar's design loft and due to be unveiled August 18th in Visitation Valley, San Francisco), as well as its earliest: Cabinetlandia (in the middle of nowhere New Mexico).

Interesting commentary on the coincident appearance in the US of early environmentalism and monumental land art in the 60's -- which does NOT necessarily mean the latter had any kind of environmental conscience.

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Itinerary notes: interviewed 11-noon, shopped for supplies, loaded car, dept Haight 14.50, scenic HWY 1 along Pt Reyes to Bodega (brief stop on Stinson Beach), cut inland to HWY 101 at Santa Rosa (dinner at PE), straight shot north to Hopland.

Gates were still open at the Solar Living Institute tho' officially it was closed for the day. Came upon a group trying to erect a straw bale arch while their mates sipped beer 'round a table (the staff and interns). Asked if we could camp on the grounds and got permission. Night was falling as we discovered A&T's tent would in fact fit the three of us comfortably. Strolled the grounds (gribbet spoosh! go the frogs as they escape into the lily pad pond) and admired the oh-so-many-stars overhead. Tested the bike-generators (the lightbulbs attached DO light up, at least on some), and marveled at the solar cooker (like a satellite dish, just reflective silver on the inside to heat the grill attached across the face of the dish, from underneath).


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Sunday in San Francisco

This is a place marker for more in-depth comments:
Today we visited and communed with --

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Marlies & Wren enjoying the Skyspace

Goldworthy crack

1. James Turrell, 3 Gems -- at the De Young
2. Andy Goldsworthy, Spire -- in the Presidio by Arguello Gate
3. Bandshell -- at Fort Mason
4. SFMOMA
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The oculus of the Skyspace

Child following Andy Goldsworthy's crack at the De Young

Wren entering James Turrell's Skyspace

Wren seated inside the Skyspace

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Wren testing the sound in the middle of the Skyspace